Wednesday, April 23, 2003
The Editor
The Lethbridge Herald
P.O. Box 670
Lethbridge
AB, T1J 3Z7
Dear Sir,
An 18% reduction of greenhouse gases over the one year period from 2000-2001 is a whopping decrease. (Editorial: Emissions cut is good news, Tuesday, April 22)
It seems too good to be true. Indeed, Environment Canada does make that claim in their press release of April 22 on Canada's submission of its 2001 Greenhouse Gas Inventory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Kyoto in essence). The manufacturing, and iron and steel sectors, are said to have achieved a reduction of 18% in the 2000-2001 period.
Canadian Steel Producers Association statistics show the industry burned just as much coal in 2001 as in 2000. Their "Progress Report on the Environment for 2001" indicates energy efficiency improvement of 18.4% and GHG reduction of 9% from 1990 to 2001. These improvements have thus taken 11 years - not just one.
Environment Canada zealously promotes Canada's commitment to Kyoto. Eagerness to find good news on the GHG emission front has apparently resulted in misplacing the facts in their press release.
Another interesting point came to my attention while undertaking this review. The 2001 Greenhouse Gas Inventory report was submitted to the United Nations on April 15. It is not yet available to Canadians. That is telling. Apparently Environment Canada's first responsibility is to the United Nations - not to Canada and Canadians.
Yours truly,
Duane Pendergast
cc. by email, Paul Giroux, Media Relations, Environment Canada, (819) 953-6996